LOW-DOWN

Nina De Ocampo

Health Coach

Specializes in Barre, HIIT, and Total Body Training

My Story

My dad's career moved us around when I was growing up. We bounced between Hawaii and California, but finally ended up in Oregon, where I spent most of my childhood. When I was in 8th grade, my dad had a quadruple bypass; after the surgery, his activity level changed. His doctor prescribed at least an hour of walking every day, and my dad was adamant about getting that hour in - no matter what. Living in Oregon, I fell in love with nature and gravitated toward being outdoors and enjoying more solitary activities like hiking, rock climbing, and running. In my twenties I spent a year in Southern California and ended up moving to the Bay Area. As a project manager in the corporate world, it was on a whim that I decided I should try something new, and I signed up for a boxing class near work. Then, I tried a bootcamp class, then barre, then Bikram yoga, and the list continues! It took over 15 years, but this is when my dad's commitment to his health finally made sense. I was energized after my workouts, and if I had to miss them, I felt almost incomplete. I started to see changes in my energy levels, in my strength, and actually started caring about my eating habits. Not only was I learning how to do new things in all the different classes, my body was responding with a huge healthy - Thank You! Besides the health benefits, I found that I loved all of the classes for different reasons, but one of the underlying benefits was being able to share the experience with a community of people. When you don't run into me teaching or taking class, you may see me around town with a couple of dogs. I have a pup of my own, but I also foster dogs through a local rescue organization. If you're in the market for a furry friend, you know where to find me ;)

My Fitness Philosophy

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you. It's all about stepping outside that comfort zone, trying something new, giving it your best effort - even when you're fairly certain you're not going to look pretty or perfect doing it.

Favorite Workout Tunes

You’ll hear everything from Rihanna to EDM to Adele in my classes!

Favorite SF Spot

For outdoor spot, it's Golden Gate Park, especially the Dahlia Garden when it's in full bloom. For indoor spot, I love live music, so it's a tie between The Fillmore and Great American Music Hall.